TV Recap – January 16 – January 21, 2011

by Nicholas Robinson

Hey guys. Here is this week’s installment of my TV Recap. I apologize for the late post again but as there are 20 shows a week (in this post) that I watch it took me a while to finish watching them all. I hope this quiets down as school starts up but if it doesn’t I will watch as much as possible and just post what I watch. This week showed the return of a lot of old shows and the start of a few new ones. Enjoy.

Sunday

Season 1 – Episode 2 – Frank the Plank

When Frank goes out on a Friday night, he disappears and misses to cash his disability check. He wakes up in Toronto, but has no recollection of what happened.

This was a good follow up to a great pilot. Frank was developed and is now more than just the drunk joke of the show and we saw some great development and funny developments of some characters. I give this episode an 8/10.

Season 1 – Episode 3 – Ratking

Zen works to recover a kidnapped wealthy industrialist with political ties. Meanwhile, Tania’s husband tries to get rid of Zen.

I honestly really like this show. Week to week it is consistent with its acting and mysteries, this week taking it up a notch with development of almost all side plots. I give this episode an 8.5/10

Monday

Season 1 – Episode 3 – Kozmo

Max Malini’s old friend Gregor Molotov has come to town, but not for a friendly visit. He is looking for whoever has the cape, and The Cape/Vince has to protect the carnies who took him in. Dana, Vince’s wife, returns to work after grieving his loss and sees Palm City’s corruption at work in the public defender’s office. She also discovers there were witnesses when Vince vanished.

This show is looking like it is going to delve into the procedural. The first episode was very good and then they added a great concept in the second episode (i.e. a large organisation of assassins) but have not expanded on it. This show had so much potential but looks like it is going to be just another show. I give this episode a 6/10

Season 4 – Episode 11 – Chuck versus the Balcony

A mission takes Chuck, Casey and Sarah to France where they have to track down a nano-chip. Lester looks to Big Mike for love advice.

This show is great. It keeps the large story arc in play while developing side stories all around it, making it seem effortless. While developing the main story of Alexei Volkoff and Chuck’s mom, they are developing Lester and Morgan and Big Mike all at the same time. I give this episode a 9/10

Season 1 – Episode 1 – Pilot

With the help of her secretary, a recently-unemployed attorney sets up her own practice, acquires a new up-and-coming attorney, and defends a man facing his third drug offense.

I like the concept of this show, but it looks like it will just become a procedural lawyer show with an academy award winner to boost the ratings. I give this episode an 8/10

Season 1 – Episode 14 – He Kane Hewa’ole

A high-speed police chase leaves the driver dead, but also leads to a shocking discovery. As the team is investigating this case, they find themselves needing to talk with Chin’s ex-fiancé.

This show is a good action show that also has a nice sub-plot going for the main characters. This episode they gave us a new sub-plot for Jin that could be interesting. I give this episode a 7.5/10

Season 7 – Episode 9 – Larger than Life

House and the team must treat a man who collapsed after risking his life to save a stranger who fell onto the subway tracks, but it appears that there is more to this good deed than meets the eye. Meanwhile, House tries to avoid a birthday dinner with Cuddy and her mother, and Taub gains some unexpected attention and gets some help with his personal life from Martha Masters.

I have liked this show ever since I started watching it a few years ago. It often delves into the procedural but more often than not, it also carries a lot of sub-plot within the episode that gives you insight into one or more of the characters. This episode was one of those. I give this episode an 8/10.

Season 6 – Episode 14 – Last Words

The gang heads to Minnesota for Marvin’s funeral, helping however they can and each pondering what the last words from their father would be if he died right now. Meanwhile, Marshall is agitated upon discovering his high school bully will be the minister for the service.

This episode may not have been as funny as the rest of the show, but it was an episode dedicated to giving us unconventional emotion (I say unconventional meaning for a comedy) and it succeeds. I give this episode an 8.5/10

Season 3 – Episode 11 – Saved

Lightman is hired to investigate three high school students responsible for a fatal traffic accident. The investigation takes a turn when a heroic paramedic seems to be involved in several accidents, as she seems to be the first to show in every scene.

This episode was not as good as last week’s first episode in terms of the sub-plot and character development, but it was a good procedural episode of the show which is a good thing. I give this episode a 7/10

Tuesday

Season 1 – Episode 2 – Cakewalk

When Leary is threatened with criminal charges, he must do the bidding of loan shark, Hal Brennan to make them go away. Leary is also being coy with his suspicious wife, who has heard rumors that he’ll return to the ring and his daughter Daniella, who finds out about her father’s diagnosis.

Here is an improvement to last week’s pilot in terms of the character development. We get to see a new side of a lot of the characters and also the consequences of actions taken by the characters. I give this episode an 8/10.

Season 1 – Episode 13 – No Ordinary Detention

Thugs invade the police station during an Internal Affair investigation into a rogue cop, and Jim has to choose whether to risk revealing his powers to stop them. Meanwhile, HR VP Victoria Morrow begins snooping around the Global Tech labs and gets close to Stephanie’s secret.

Here is what I like to call the “Holy Shit!” episode of the season. In this episode the main characters experience holy shit moments when it comes to their individual plot lines. I also liked how all the characters went through similar experiences throughout the episode. I give this episode an 8/10.

Season 2 – Episode 3 – Laid Bare

Erica learns her partner, Malik, is a Visitor and must fight for her life – literally – to stop Anna from finding out she’s Fifth Column. Meanwhile, Anna learns that Malik is missing and orders Ryan to find her, while Lisa realizes her body is beginning to change, causing her to become more and more like her mother.

This episode is a good development episode. The characters learn a lot of new things about each other and also about the Visitors’ plans. New things are also introduced in this episode, including Lisa’s “breeding skin” and a new member to the 5th Column team. I give this episode an 8/10.

Season 2 – Episode 10 – Burke’s Seven

Mozzie narrowly escapes death and Neal uses his contacts to help Peter find Mozzie’s shooter Julian Larssen. However, Larssen manages to blame Peter instead and is released. Suspended from the FBI, Peter enlists the help of Neal, Jones, Diana, Sara, Mozzie and even Elizabeth to run a sting to finally catch Larssen and to clear his name.

I like how this show blends the procedural with the season arc. In this show almost every case has something to do with the season arc or turns out to have something to do with it. This episode is no different. It also gives the extra emotion with Mozzie having been shot and all. I give this episode an 8/10.

Wednesday

Season 1 – Episode 11 – Little Fish

A 25-year old cold case of Frank’s is brought to the forefront when the missing boy’s remains are found. Danny and Jackie look into the death of a high-end escort.

Once again, a procedural show brings a little extra to the table with some development of Tom Selleck’s character and some good police work. I give this episode a 7.5/10

Thursday

Season 1 – Episode 14 – Corn Star

Ed decides to run for president of the homeowners’ association when the current president complains that the corn stalks in his garden are too tall.

I find William Shatner hilarious in this show and he continues to be so in this standard episode. I give this episode a 7/10.

Season 4 – Episode 13 – The Love Car Displacement

A science convention at a hotel leads to Bernadette running into an ex-boyfriend and Wolowitz worrying he can’t quite compare.

This show continues episode after episode to make me laugh so hard people look at me funny. Sheldon, Leonard and Howard are hilarious in this episode and Congrats to Jim Parsons for winning the Golden Globe! He deserves it. I give this episode an 8.5/10

Season 2 – Episode 12 – Asian Population Studies

The group debates whether to add Rich, who recently started anthropology, or Senor Chang to the group. Shirley’s ex-husband arrives and she has some big news.

Once again another show that constantly makes me laugh extremely hard. This isn’t the funniest of episodes (I can’t wait until they top last season’s paintball war episode) but it was still pretty Chang-larious. I give this episode an 8/10

Season 11 – Episode 12 – A Kiss Before Frying

The team discovers that a series of seemingly random deaths by homemade electric chairs are actually linked to a murderous miscarriage of justice seventy years ago.

This show is one of the most procedural shows I know. This episode is a fun episode but procedural none-the-less. I give this episode a 7/10

Season 1 – Episode 2 – Pilot

Dave and Julia’s plans for the perfect anniversary end up falling through, so Rex and Leigh decide to gear up for game night instead. Vance and Amy decide to break up, then they change their minds and decide to make up again.

Strange enough the 1st episode of this show aired last year, yet this is the pilot. However, that does not take away the fact that this is a funny show with great potential. I give this episode an 8/10.

Friday

Season 3 – Episode 10 – The Firefly

The Observer reunites musician Roscoe Joyce with his dead son, setting off a series of events that culminate in a life-or-death test for Walter. Meanwhile, Olivia deals with the repercussions of her absence from This Side, and Walter bonds with Joyce, one of his musical heroes.

I love this show. To me it is a better version of The X-Files. I love how they can be procedural when they need to fill a void but mainly focus on a storyline that is filled with twists and turns that rivals the Nurburgring. This episode converges a lot of storylines beautifully and may be the best of the season so far. I give this episode a 9/10.